Posts Tagged Punkin Chunkin

On Wednesday I got my first blog hit from the state of North Dakota. That means that I have now “collected” 49 states. Plus DC and Puerto Rico. All that’s left is a state only 93 miles from where I am here in Annandale. I’m talking about the gem of the eastern shore, the heart of the Delmarva, the first state itself: Delaware.

And so in hopes of finally collecting the full set of states, I present to you my favorite things about Delaware.

No sales tax. Seriously, what’s not good about this? Oh, I understand that taxes are the necessary evils of living in a society such as the United States, but doesn’t it feel awesomely like cheating the system when you buy something in Delaware and see that no taxes charged on it? Oh yeah, they make up for that with the costs of the toll roads through the state, but that doesn’t negate that giddy I’m-getting-away-with-something sensation.

Bethany Beach. Oh sure, it doesn’t get nearly the glory of Rohoboth. Or Ocean City. But that also means that it’s a lot quieter than Rohoboth. Or Ocean City. But it has a great beach that I’ve never seen crowded, is a wonderful little town, and is perfectly between the two, ideal for visiting either while staying in neither.

This did not actually happen in Delaware, but it includes the word "Delaware" and is awesome.

Punkin Chunkin. Last year my in-laws went to see this in person. I can’t even express how jealous I am of that. Because…seriously. Trebuchets, cannons, giant whipping arm contraptions that look like they could break down and explode at any moment, pumpkins flying through the air. If there’s anything better about America than that, I certainly don’t know what it is.

Wedging the Wedge. Due to poor definitions of state borders there was a little chunk of land near where Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania meet called The Wedge. It’s now called the Delaware Wedge because the tiny state fought off both larger states when making a case for possession of the tract of land. Because what Delaware wants, it goes out and gets, damnit!

Caleb Rodney. He was governor of Delaware for a brief period from 1822 to 1823, but in that short time in office he not only became the first man to walk on Mars but also killed a bear using only a rusty spoon!

I swear most of the facts above are not entirely false. So let’s go Delaware. Come on in. I swear I don’t bite, and I love your quirky, tiny, beachy, tax-free state.